Many of you are aware of the two proposals that are being considered by the state senate. The one proposal that the PAFOC supports proudly bears our name. We firmly believe that our proposal differs greatly in its objective versus the other proposal that the organization shirks from attaching their name. The PAFOC proposal seeks to strengthen the authority of the constabulary. It is only by cementing our authority as law enforcement officers, to the same level as that of police and sheriffs, without putting us under the authority of the judiciary, that we can then move forward to raise our training and qualifying standards.

The PAFOC proposal has been introduced by many senators led by Senator Scott Wagner. The other proposal is being introduced by a few other senators who have expressed opinions in the past, to get rid of the constabulary. It is easy to assume that these legislators see the opposing proposal as a vehicle to help them achieve those goals. First, by placing control of the elected office of constable under the judiciary, at which time they can begin to phase out the constabulary in favor of increasing the roles of the sheriffs and Pennsylvania State Police. This would not only ruin the constabulary, but become a further financial burden on the tax payers of the commonwealth.

The PAFOC cannot, and will not, standby and let this happen to our professional community. As members of this organization, and the constable community, we must rally behind, and support the PAFOC legislative proposal. In the past, we have encouraged you to call your state senators and representatives to support this legislation, and we encourage all to continue, but this action will not happen through call-in and mail-in campaigns alone. It will take strong financial support.

Recently, I contributed $500.00 to the PAFOC, and naturally, it would be fantastic if others were able to make contributions, as well. It doesn’t have to be for the same amount, but whatever you think would help the cause, would be appreciated. I say this, not to brag about the donation, but to show that this cause is of great importance for the survival of the constabulary. In short, I wanted to put my money where my mouth is. (Click here to make donation)

Based, on recent allegations about some of our members and officers, you may feel apprehensive about contributing to our organization. I want to tell you unequivocally, that no funds from the organization have ever been used to offset the legal expenses of any of our membership. A fact that can be verified by our treasurer, who also enjoys membership in other constable organizations. (A fact that is a testament to the openness of this organization to be inclusive) We express our strong support for our officers who have been in the cross hairs of zealous judges, commissioners, and law enforcement agencies, and we will continue to support them, particularly where some of these cases may become case law in the future. However, it must be clear that this support is given without any financial support.

In the past, where some constables in our membership have been found to not be following the law, their membership has been relegated to associate membership. It is not the philosophy of this organization to excommunicate individuals who may prove to have contributing value to the constabulary, even after they have been terminated as constables. To emphasize the integrity of this organization, let me quell some of the outlandish rumors that have been circulating. One of our executive officers, and one of our board officers had been facing charges for activities that they were performing NOT in the capacity of a constable. Since the leveling of charges, it seems likely that they will be dismissed soon, but again it should be emphasized that these are not constable related, and will not interfere with the individuals performing the duties of their elected office. Another board officer has multiple charges that are pending. Those charges have been bound from the magistrate to the court of common pleas, and stand a great chance of being overturned. We encourage the constabulary to support this constable, since the core of the case is based on our authority as constables.

We recognize that constables daily face criticism from a biased media, agencies that have grudges against us, and individuals that continuously question our professionalism. The PAFOC will continue to support our system of jurisprudence, and support all constables in the light of innocent, until proven guilty. We do not abandon our brothers and sisters on the premise of innuendo. This is the kind of organization that we are, and belong to, and will continue to be in the fight for all constables, be they members or not.

As you can see by this statement, it is the intent to show that this organization is a strong supporter of the constabulary, and will continue to do so. That is why we need your help in promoting the PAFOC legislative proposal. Some may say that it doesn’t matter, because any change will be good change. We strongly disagree! The PAFOC proposal will strengthen our office within the executive branch, strengthen our authority, and solidify our place in the future. The other one will send us down the eventual path of extinction.

There is the chance that the two proposals will be revisited a point where compromises may need to be made. Currently, we are not pushing for that train of thought. We strongly believe in the merits of the PAFOC legislative proposal, and want to see it remain intact. It truly is the foundation that can be added onto in the future. However, this legislation supports our offices, our professionalism, and the essence as to who we are in the law enforcement community.

If you had not done so, I encourage you to read the proposal contained on our web site (click here), and the opposing proposal, and draw your own conclusions. More importantly, I ask you to show your support through a financial donation, which can also be done through this website. Also, please continue to contact your senators and legislators to support the PAFOC legislative proposal. Thanks, and be safe out there!

- Filed lawsuit against Pa Department of General Services to cease denial of constables into the federal 1033 program – pending

- Argued case in front of Commonwealth Court regarding Pa’s attempts to stop constables from appointing deputies and to overturn “Hunter” – We won this case.

- Assisted in lawsuit that would force MDJ’s and the counties to pay constables within 30 days as required by law and to force immediate payout of any overdue unpaid fees that are on the books. – pending

- Working with members of the Pa House and Senate, Governor’s office and State Police on PAFOC influenced legislation which is due to go out for co-sponsorship and be bi-laterally introduced in the near future.

- Working on lawsuit to eradicate and prevent unconstitutional court issued “Constable Handbooks”. Currently raising funds to file.

- Brought this story to light: Constables say Dauphin County owes them more than $700,000

- Also working on creating and implementing a modular MOPEC quality training program for all constables.

The PAFOC is currently supporting legislation that hopefully will be introduced as a bill and into law soon. The following link will give the reader an idea as to what the PAFOC is trying to accomplish for the good of the State Constabulary. After reviewing the link, please feel free to reach out and contact to the appropriate board members to voice your support and opinions. Such support and opinions can also be voiced in person at the PAFOC Quarterly meetings. Please show your support by sharing this action with other constables, members and non-members, and by encouraging your local representatives and senators to get behind this legislation.

It seems everywhere we look everyone has an opinion of constables and they use their platform to voice it taking advantage of the fact that constables do not yet have a fully unified voice to rebuttal or defend their position publicly. This is changing. The PAFOC is taking a front line approach to clear up misunderstandings and set the record straight. Below is the most recent appearance of our very own Ian Castaneira on channel 69 News to talk about Constables and the issues we face.